Oliebollen: Dutch Donut Recipe

Oliebollen is a traditional Dutch donut  often served as a New Years treat.  Using simple ingredients, this recipe is sure to be a hit with your family.

My Mom is Dutch {she actually immigrated to the US as a child} and on New Years, my Beppe {Frisian for grandmother…oh, Frisians are from the province of Friesland in the Netherlands} would make us a special treat, called Oliebollen.  Did you get all of that?  I’m sure you weren’t expecting a geography, history, and cooking lesson from me today.

On New Years Eve or Day, oliebollen is a traditional Dutch breakfast, snack, or dessert.  I typically make mine for dessert on New Years Day.  Now, what exactly is oliebollen?  I’ve got a funny story about that.  When my husband and I were dating and he spent his first Christmas and New Years with my family and I, we were raving about looking forward to oliebollen.  When New Years day arrived and we visited extended family, my husband bit into a warm sugary ball of fried dough and proceeded to say, “It’s just a donut.”   Well, yes, but it’s different.  However, the name oliebollen means oil ball and they are often referred to as Dutch donuts.

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To us, it is more than just a fried donut, it is a treat that marks the beginning of a new year.  And what better way to start a fresh year than with fried dough dipped in sugar?  Really, there isn’t.  So I thought that I would share my Beppe’s recipe with you.  And maybe you will make this oliebollen recipe for your family.  {Disclaimer: they can be eaten any time of the year…you won’t be struck by lightening if you enjoy these on a day other than at New Years!}

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 milk

1 cup granulated sugar

2 eggs

4 cups white flour

4 tsp baking powder

2 tsp melted shortening

1 tsp cinnamon

1 cup raisins

Oil for cooking

Confectioners sugar

RECIPE

{Makes approximately 30 dough balls, each around 1 1/2 inches}

Allow raisins to sit in a bowl of hot water for 5-10 minutes and then drain them.

Meanwhile, place the milk, granulated sugar, eggs, flour, baking powder, shortening, and cinnamon into a large bowl.  Mix these ingredients, along with the drained raisins with a spoon.

Drop by spoonfuls into hot oil {340-365 degrees}.  Cook until done.

Serve warm with confectioners sugar.

STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS

Place the raisins in a bowl of hot water to add some moisture back into them.

After 5-10 minutes drain the water from the raisins.

Mix all of the ingredients together in a large bowl.

Using a fryer or a large pot with a candy thermometer, heat oil to between 340 and 365 degrees.  Using a spoon and your finger, gently “plop” mounds of the dough into the heated oil.  Do not “drop” the dough into hot oil!  The goal is to avoid hot oil splashing up at you.  Be careful and you will be fine.

The balls will be, well, not round and that is completely normal.  {We actually like to see what kind of weird shapes they turn out to be.}

Using a spoon, turn the dough balls so that lighter sides are face down.  Turn them once in a while and you will see them begin to get darker.

Adjust the heat on your burner up and down as needed to maintain the candy thermometer temperature between 340 and 365 degrees.

When a dough ball is a medium to dark brown, use a spoon to scoop it out and place it on a paper towel lined tray.  If you aren’t sure how dark to allow the dough to become, cut it open to be sure the entire middle is cooked through.  If so, then it is fully-cooked.

Serve warm, but not hot, by dipping the oliebollen into powdered sugar.

It really is a simple recipe.  I have carried on the tradition in my home, so my family always looks forward to these each January 1st.

Happy New Year!

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